Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

[house]

Hello out there in Duncan land. I have read numerous of folks swapping the mag in humbucker PU's, but nothing about SC's. I have six A5 poles which I pulled out of an old Fender Vintage Noiseless bridge PU. The PU went, microphonic, on me, and I decided to scavenge the poles once I found out the PU was shot. Can I put these in another SC PU? Thanks in advance Y'all...

 

[idsnowdog]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

Yes you can replace rod magnets as long as they are not glued to the bobbin.

 

[Lewguitar]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

No you cannot. Not if the coil is wound directly around the six magnetic polepieces as it is in vintage style Fender or Duncan pickups. You will break the wire if you remove and try to slide back in any of the six polepieces.

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

Also I don't think the poles come magnetized? Alot of single coil pickups have been ruined because the windings break upon moving the poles..I ruined a perfectly good Fender Fat 50 by trying to do this! CAREFUL!

 

[STRATDELUXER97]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

Lew beat me to it...LOL

 

[CloneRanger]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

Yes you can replace rod magnets as long as they are not glued to the bobbin.

Quite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LmwpvDd8zU0

 

[robrob2]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

I've heard it depends on if the poles are wrapped or in direct contact with the wire. Also the bobbin material matters because it can crumble when you try to press out and then re install the poles. If you simply want to swap the magnetic polarity that can be done by the pickup's manufacturer.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Magnet swapping on single coil Pick-Ups; can it be done?

Sometimes.

Fender American Standard, Tex-Mex and some of the Highway 1 series pickups come with a plastic bobbin. The rod magnets sit in discreet tubular spaces, never coming into contact with the coil. Hence, it is possible to gently push the magnets out of their spaces.

Other rod magnets of the same diameter will fit. You can mix and match materials a la Duncan Five-Two. You can try different magnet lengths to replicate the vintage height stagger pattern. You can even cheat, like Fender does, by setting rod magnets of equal lengths at different positions relative to the top of the bobbin.